


Little Joys

by starryastronaut



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Birthday, Family, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Shiro Week, Shiro Week 2018, Shiro's birthday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 15:34:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13767165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starryastronaut/pseuds/starryastronaut
Summary: Shiro wakes up to a seemingly empty castle and goes to the city on the planet they're docking right now.When he comes back, there's a small surprise birthday party.





	Little Joys

**Author's Note:**

> This is really short, probably fast-paced and was written quickly, so sorry for the probably not best quality.  
> But here it is, Shiro Week day 4: free day. I decided to just write sth about Shiro's birthday because he deserves happiness.
> 
> Enjoy!

The castle has been eerily silent when Shiro woke up that morning. On his way to the kitchen, he met nobody and the kitchen was deserted, too. He decided to simply help himself to some breakfast goo. With the help of Matt, Pidge and Hunk had finally been able to make a modification on the goo machine to get multiple tastes. So far, they had porridge, mashed potatoes and chocolate pudding. It was better than food goo itself, and the texture at least sort of matched the original dish.

Shiro sat down and rubbed his eyes while shovelling porridge goo into his mouth. He wondered if the others were still asleep, or somewhere else on the ship. He shot a glance at the clock which told him it was 8.03am. So Lance and Hunk might still be sleeping, they usually got up a bit later after a long mission like the day before. Shiro finished up, washed his plate and made his way to the bridge.

No one was there, either. Huh. That was surprising; usually either Allura or Coran would at least be there. Perhaps they had to tend to something else on the ship. Shiro looked out onto the city below him, the residents already busily scurrying around. Just the day before, they had freed this planet from a Galra base, now staying for diplomacy matters and simultaneously stocking up on supplies. It was a refreshing break, especially because the atmosphere here was breathable and they didn’t have to wear their masks when going outside. They all always felt relieved to be able to breathe some fresh, natural air, opposed to the fabricated air inside the ship all the time.

After looking out a bit and no one coming in, Shiro decided to go to the training deck. Might as well do something productive for the time being. Maybe he would find Keith there - who had spent a few weeks back here, instead of being out with the Blade all the time - and they could spar together. The halls were very quiet again. At one point, Shiro thought he had heard footsteps and called out, but no one replied and no one was there when he rounded the corner. Did he just imagine that?

The training deck was empty, too. For some reason, Shiro felt uneasy at that. Usually, Keith would have been here. Shiro tried to think logically. Keith probably took a break from training. And the others were most likely sleeping or working somewhere in the castle. It was a big castle, after all. Still, he couldn’t shake an odd feeling. He just continued to train through four levels and proceeded to take a shower in his room.

When he got back out, it was around 11. Shiro went to the kitchen again to see if anyone was there now. When he found no one, he thought to look in the lounge, but the door there wouldn’t open, whatever he tried. That was strange. He would have to tell Coran about that later. Back to the kitchen, it was.

It was truly bizarre. Until this day, he had never not seen anyone around. The day was bound to come, of course, since not everyone would always stick to their routine, but it still left Shiro feeling a bit restless. He had gotten so used to having everyone around.

Perhaps he should go to the village, walk across the market, get some useful things or just buy some souvenirs. Then it occurred to him that the others might have gone out to the town without telling him. But surely someone would have asked him if he wanted to come, or at least left a message on the kitchen table for him to find, right? Maybe they simply forgot.

It was all peculiar. Shiro didn’t know what to do with all this silence. Usually, Pidge would sit around somewhere, typing away on her laptop, making some conversation once in a while, or sitting on the counter swinging her legs while chattering; or Hunk would scurry around, trying to modify one thing or the other around here, chatting with anyone present; often Lance would also be around, loud jokes and laughter up front, especially when Matt joined in with his humour. It was weird to have no one around for once. Shiro sighed and leaned his head on his hand. Maybe putting on some music from the makeshift-radio Matt brought would help.

It didn’t improve his situation that he had nothing else to do. Around ten minutes later, he got tired of the music and waiting for someone to come around, so he went down to the village, leaving a note on the kitchen table that he would be back at around 4 at the latest. He banned all worries from his mind, making logic rule out all weird thoughts he might have had in regards to no one being in sight.

 

The village was lively. Not only were people walking around like they would on a normal work day back on earth, but it was so colourful. The houses seemed to be made of a stone-like material from this planet, having been painted with many, many colours. There was no house that had only one or two colours. The Voltron banners hanging everywhere only added to that.

Some of the citizens would recognise him and smile at him, some kids would excitedly point at him from afar and he would smile and wave. Some even asked for an autograph. Overall, it was quite peaceful, though, and he could go about his day as if he weren’t some kind of celebrity to these aliens.

The food here was quite different from what he was used to and he didn’t want to try too much in case some had other effects on him. But he had tried some kind of dessert that was similar to ice cream, though with a very different texture. He would have to tell the others about it, he was sure they would love it.

When Shiro came by a flower shop, he walked around in it for a bit, marvelling at all these different types of plants. He spotted a small, tree-like plant, almost like a small bonsai from earth. He asked the shopkeeper about it who explained what it was and how to tend to it. Shiro didn’t think twice and immediately got the plant. This would definitely go onto the dresser in his room back in the castle. He named the plant Gunther.

After walking around a bit more, taking in the sights of the town - one of which was a fountain that he sat by for a while, observing his environment with a content smile - he made his way back to the castle.

 

He arrived at around 3pm and first brought Gunther into his room, then returned to the bridge. No one was there again. Now Shiro started to worry, even though he was able to tone it down during his trip to town. He turned around and made his way to the kitchen, in quick, large steps. _Was something wrong? Where was everyone?_

In the kitchen, he finally found someone, though, and all tension left his body. Keith was sitting there, munching on food goo. “Keith,” Shiro said as soon as he saw him.  
“Oh, hey Shiro. Is something up?” Keith looked up from the goo.

“Ah, no. Yeah. I don’t know, this morning, I couldn’t find anyone around, and just now I also found no one, I was worried for a minute, there.” Keith somewhat flinched at that but played it off as putting his spoon down.

“Oh. Well, we were around, though. Come, I gotta show you something.” And with that, Keith hopped up, not waiting for an answer, and strode out of the room. Shiro looked after him perplexedly for a second but soon followed him.

When they were in front of the lounge, Shiro eyed the door. “When I came by earlier, it wouldn’t open, did you fix it?”

“Yeah, no. It’s open. You should go first.” Shiro was even more confused now with Keith acting rather strangely, but did as he was told.

The door opened and the room was pitch black when Shiro stepped in warily. “Keith?” Shiro asked, before the light suddenly turned on and the windows cleared up again.

When the others were sure Shiro's eyes adjusted and he saw all of them, they shouted “Happy birthday!” in unison, careful not to startle Shiro. Lance and Matt held something like party poppers and got paper streamer everywhere. Allura and Coran spread confetti and Hunk and Pidge held a cake towards Shiro, protecting it from the confetti. Keith behind him pat his shoulder and walked by, taking a party popper from Lance. “Happy birthday, old man,” he joked. They could hear Coran muttering under his breath, "If he is an old man, then what am I?"

Shiro just gaped for a few seconds and then started laughing. “You guys, oh my god. Thank you.” When he calmed down, Shiro grinned at them with the happiest smile in a while. He didn’t even think about it being his birthday, he forgot to check their calendar.

Once everyone put down what they had in their hands, Shiro crushed them all in a hug. Or rather, they all crushed him in a hug, since this was a group hug on an occasion for Shiro. Whatever it was, they all embraced each other, lingering for a few seconds before separating.

“But,” Shiro held up an accusing finger, “don’t ever do that again, you had me worried.”

The others laughed sheepishly. “Okay, promise.”

“Well, I think the birthday boy should get the cake ready, I’ve been eyeing that thing for hours now,” Lance had said, eyeing the cake once again.

“I second that,” Matt chimed in.

“I third that,” Pidge said, jumping up and down.

Shiro chuckled. “Alright, then.”

 

They all ate cake, loafing on the couch together, laughing and having fun. The group told Shiro about the mess of setting this whole thing up and about how everyone thought it would be a disaster when Keith got him because Keith was the most excited one and was bad at lying to him. Shiro had told them about the market in the village, the pseudo-ice cream and about how he bought Gunther. Overall, it was nice and relaxing to just sit there with everyone, talking and laughing together, with everyone mocking Shiro about what an old man he was now.

“Seriously, though, guys. Thank you for this,” Shiro had said when everyone was calmed down, finished with their cakes, sitting in a pleasant silence.

“It’s no problem. We know what tradition a birthday party is for you on earth, it was an honour to be part of it,” Allura replied. Coran nodded along.

“Don’t mention it, Shiro, we’re all glad to celebrate it,” Matt chimed in.

“Yeah, and we’ve actually been excited for this for _weeks_!”

“We sure were. Lance _loves_ preparing parties,” Hunk added.

“Yeah. And this way, we could actually try out baking an _actual_ cake in our new oven!” Pidge exclaimed excitedly.

“Something other than food goo was too compelling to say no to,” Keith commented, nodding to Pidge’s statement.

Shiro smiled at them widely. “I love you guys.”

“We love you, too,” everyone messily said, not even remotely in unison. Then, everyone just went in for a hug again, feeling increasingly affectionate. After a while, they had to break their little party off, though, since there was a diplomacy meeting in the evening. All of them were happier throughout the rest of the day, which not even the boring meeting could take from them. Especially from Shiro.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> I'm open to every and all criticism, so hmu
> 
> you can find me on twitter at @asterrhoid if you're interested
> 
> peace out


End file.
